Snacks play a really important part in my life. I can’t go more than a few hours without a pick-me-up, and having homemade snacks at the drop of a hat is a must.
I usually take a snack break around 3 in the morning (remember, I work nights!) and that’s after eating my “breakfast” at 10:30 at night. Another snack comes either before I start producing my 5 am newscast, or right in the middle. Then lunch around 7, and “dinner” around 10:30am.
Sounds like a lot, but I portion things out really well. Sometimes a snack is just a couple of cheese cubes…or a mini salad with spinach and dressing.
I really try to lean more toward the protein-filled snacks, like lunchmeat or jerky. This is one of those meaty snacks I made last week to help me get through the work week. Ground chicken, zucchini, spices and green onions…then dipped in guacamole. Perfect mix of protein and fat for my keto diet! Which, by the way, I’ve lost 10 pounds in a week. Sounds impossible, right? It’s not. Drastically cutting down on carbs means you lose a bunch of water weight you’ve been retaining in the first week. It feels incredible, by the way, but I am expecting a slowdown on the weightloss so I’m not getting super exciting.
What are my goals with this diet? To eat better, of course, but I’m also looking to shed at the *least* 50 pounds, if not more. That’s a pretty lofty goal, but I have a competitive nature and believe I can really stay on target. Plus, Rob and I have a bet…whoever loses the most weight by our anniversary (October 7th) has to buy our anniversary dinner. I’m winning so far…which is easy, because Rob downed 13 chicken strips on Friday. Me? I ate none. Super proud of myself!
These little dippers are the best snack. I haven’t really calculated the net carb, protein, calorie and fat count, but I kept my snacking to just 4 of these babies plus a 100 cal, 100% avocado guacamole pack. Yummo.
If you’re into making your own snacks, these are for you. They really work with any diet, too, not just keto. And if you’re NOT on a diet, they’re still a delicious, filling, and protein-packed option for you rather than grabbing that bag of chips in the middle of your work day (or night!).
Chicken & Zucchini Poppers
Savory chicken bites with zucchini & green onions, perfect for dipping in guacamole.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 2 green onions, minced
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 2 TBS. avocado or olive oil
- salt & pepper
- Guacamole, for serving
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, zucchini, green onions, cumin, salt and pepper. Mixture will be wet and hard to handle, but that’s okay.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Using your hands, shape chicken mixture into discs or balls. Add to the oil, a few at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes until browned on one side, and flip. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Add cooked chicken mixture to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked. Serve with guacamole.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, zucchini, green onions, cumin, salt and pepper. Mixture will be wet and hard to handle, but that’s okay.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Using your hands, shape chicken mixture into discs or balls.
Add to the oil, a few at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes until browned on one side, and flip. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Add cooked chicken mixture to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked. Serve with guacamole.
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